ADHD and Social Intelligence

In his book Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, author Howard Gardner identified interpersonal abilities as one form of intelligence that we all have n varying degrees. Since that time, the concept has been expanded to become known as social intelligence. Developing this type of intelligence poses special challenges for children with ADHD.

How is social IQ measured?

The social intelligence quotient (SQ) is a statistical abstraction, similar to the ‘standard score’ approach used in IQ tests, with a mean of 100. Scores of 140 or above are considered to be very high. Unlike the standard IQ test, it is not a fixed model. Thus a person can change their SQ by altering their attitudes and behavior in response to their social environment.

Social challenges for kids with ADHD

Children with ADHD may exhibit a range of characteristics that can limit their social development and effectiveness. For example, they:

Are often impulsive

May be insensitive to interpersonal cues

Are easily distracted:

Can have a difficult time learning from experiences, whether positive or negative

These challenges can interfere with a child’s ability to create the relationships that are necessary for success in school and in life.

One Response

Joanne Principe

If the child has an IEP with related services, peer-to-peer counseling with supervision would help support the student in the school environment with low EQ (emotional quotient) skill-building. Additional tools that could help the parent, teacher, and child relationship is to assess the strengths of to lift self-esteem and develop them into talent. For kids 10-14 use Gallup’s StrengthsExplorers Assessment find at http://shop.gallup.com/strengths/1595620184.html. For teens high school and college students use Gallup’s http://shop.gallup.com/strengths/1595620117-1.html.

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